Standing In The Way Of Control
by Vampbarbie
Summary: I mean that we have our revolution then we leave. He leaves. We go back to normal.” Doctor Who / Torchwood crossover. Sort of reunion fic. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

* * *

Hi all this is rather an epic, but it wrote itself in bits and not all in order. But here it is anyway.

Its a Doctor Who / Torchwood crossover with one character from '10th Kingdom' thrown in for good measure but if you haven't seen that it won't change anything.

This was written pre-season 2 of Torchwood so I'm ignoring whats happened in that really. And its pre-Donna for Doctor who.

Spoilers - everything in season 3 Doctor Who.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

Standing In The Way Of Control

Chapter 1:

Mulder and Scully enter their office and flop into two large black leather chairs. She throws a fat manila file of paper work onto the centre of her desk, sighs and kicks off her shoes. She pulls her feet up onto the chair and sighs again. She isn't a sceptic, far from it; she has seen things most people in this building only hypothesise about. That is why she and her partner have managed to become the organisations top agents in such a short time. That in itself has caused enough resentment to last them both a lifetime. Maybe several. Maybe a few regenerations too but that hurts too much to consider. She looks over at the man who is leaning back in his chair with his eyes shut.

"Wake up."

He cracks open one eye and smiles broadly at her. "Slave driver."

She sighs again. "I heard three people humming the X-Files theme tune as we walked past today."

'Mulder' opens the other eye and laughs. "They're just jealous because we're so damn good babes." He gestures round the office. "Mulder and Scully got the basement. And this," his arm sweeps across the panoramic view of London offered by their corner office in one of the higher levels of Canary Wharf, "is definitely not the basement!"

"I just wish they'd stop calling me Scully. I believe in this stuff!" She raises a hand to stop him before he retorts. "I know you like the whole Fox Mulder thing, it gives you the mystique you so crave."

Mickey Smith just grins at her as she continues.

"But that isn't what we're about. We don't go round chasing invisible zoo animals or psycho stretching murderers or crop circles or little green men…"

"That's exactly what we do Rose," he retorts good-naturedly having had this same conversation three times already this week. "How 'bout I take you for a pint after work eh?"

"There a match on?" she enquires innocently.

"No," he comes back with grinning. "Look lets just finish this weevil file and get out of here."

"Yeah," she nods reaching for the file.

In that second she feels swoopingly sick, looks over at Mickey who seems to be sliding away from her outstretched hand, and in that instant there is nothing but white.

* * *

The Doctor picks a piece of orange tentacle out of his hair and flicks it onto the middle of Jack's desk. Jack eyes it distastefully and looks back up at the man who is perched on the edge of his desk.

"Anyway as I was saying, Tosh detected a signal. Its big Doctor. Very big."

"So which of your oh-so-good-looking team is Tosh?" The Doctor asks looking out of the doorway at the four people who are all eavesdropping but trying desperately hard not to look like they are, all wondering who this strange man is.

Jack smiles. "Tosh would be the one at the laptop rocking the sexy secretary look." He sees Tosh's mouth twitch as she holds back a smile.

"Right," the Doctor says nodding and looking back at Jack. "So I'll bet you've called a certain Miss Jones since you suddenly have that mobile number."

Jack nods. "She's on the train. Arrives in precisely thirty seven minutes."

The Doctor just shakes his head and glances out of the door again. He catches Owen's eye who looks away just as quickly. "Big signal?" he prompts Jack.

"Yeah. Ianto has matched it up to something SETI picked up in the nineties. Torchwood documents make reference to something called the 'Highway.' Ring any bells?"

"No." The Doctor is busy pulling another chunk of tentacle that has suckered itself to the sleeve of his coat. He peels it off with a Velcro-like sound and drops it wetly beside the previous one.

Jack wrinkles his nose. "Where have you been?"

The Doctor looks at him and deadpans, "Sea World."

* * *

Rose opens her eyes. Having been on the receiving end of a Transmat beam more than once, she knows exactly what they feel like. She pushes herself up from the hard floor on which she is laying.

"Mickey?" she says urgently.

He groans from somewhere beside her. "Goddamnit, Rose what the hell was that?"

"Transmat." She gets to her bare feet quickly and studies the room in which they are situated. It looks to all intents and purposes like a cell. Smallish, maybe seven paces square, she calculates quickly. There is a door set into one wall. Definitely not of human construction.

"Transwhat?"

"Transmat beam. Transporter beam. Haven't come across one since the Game Station. Interesting." She is running her hand up the wall and examining it intently but he hears the tiniest catch in her voice.

"So where are we?" he asks, still staring at her in confusion.

"No idea," she says wiping her hand on her trousers. The wall is dark and feels slightly greasy. It looks like some sort of stone.

They both turn as they hear a scraping of the door.

* * *

Martha Jones stands up on the swaying train and manhandles her suitcase off the luggage rack towards the door. The train pulls up at Cardiff station and she dutifully presses the little flashing button and hauls the suitcase down the platform. She hadn't known what on earth to pack. Jack had been rather vague in his description of what was going on. The fact that he had asked for the Doctor's phone number screamed 'big'. Martha passes through the ticket barrier and walks outside, dragging the wheeled suitcase behind her.

The sight of two men in long coats leaning against a shiny black SUV, chatting to each other, greets her. She grins. It couldn't be a better sight.

"Hey!" Jack cries happily. He bounds over to her, excitable puppy style, and gives her a hug. "Good to see you."

"You too Jack," she says smiling and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Then she looks over at the Doctor. "Hello Doctor," she says evenly remembering the last time she saw him. How she walked out of his life.

He pouts. "Don't be like that." Then grins and envelops her in a huge hug. "How are you?"

"Good. Passed my exams. Among other things."

"A proper doctor at last!" he smiles at her and holding her at arm's length he studies her. "Jack hasn't been getting you in trouble has he?"

"Me?" Jack protests hotly.

"No he hasn't." She swings her suitcase towards the two men. "Someone going to get this?"

The Doctor sidesteps this by opening the SUV door for her. Jack grumbles and hauls the case into the vehicle. "What on earth did you pack in here?"

"You didn't tell me where I was going!" she shoots back and climbs into the jeep. "So what's going on?" she asks as soon as they are on their way.

"No idea," the Doctor says happily over his shoulder at her. "Something big. Something alien. And oh so possibly dangerous."

She sighs lightly. "The usual then?"

* * *

"We what?" Rose screeches at the slightly insectoid alien who has politely led them from their cell and even now stands with one set of claw-like 'hands' pressed lightly together. He is tall, maybe six feet, and has greyish leathery skin, four arms and two legs. Its eyes are black and set wide on the pointed skull.

"You will…entertain…our guests." He says in his own rasping tongue, which translates itself in Rose's mind automatically. Some things did not leave when the Doctor did. Rose translates for Mickey as they go along.

"Why us?" Mickey asks suspiciously, peering back between the curtains into the main chamber of the ship at various scantily clad aliens and some humans who are dancing or serving a similarly varied assortment of 'guests'.

"You have been noticed."

"What?" Mickey frowns.

"We take the brightest and best on the planets we pass on the Highway." The alien gives a grotesque approximation of a smile. "The mighty have the furthest to fall is that right?"

Rose stares at him in horror. "I won't do it."

"But you will. If you do this you will be treated like a queen. If not then we will make you."

At that moment an alien walks from the main chamber past them. The insectoid grabs her skinny blue arm roughly in his claw like hand and whirls her round so her back faces them. Through her skimpy costume Rose and Mickey can see long scars down her back. Rose feels a shudder go through her. She looks into Mickey's eyes and sees her own thoughts reflected back at her. They are on their own.

* * *

"Ah ha!" Gwen cries out suddenly, shocking them all from their three a.m. stupor of staring at books and computer screens. Owen sits bolt upright and pretends he hasn't been asleep.

"What?" Jack asks quickly, setting down the leather-bound tome he has been staring at cross-eyed for the last half hour.

"The 'Highway'. Well a vague reference anyway. Its rather old." She runs a finger down the page and reads. "They came offering unearthly pleasures, speaking of the Highway. And behold such desires that man has never seen. Creatures such as these I have ne'er seen and ne'er wish to again. They took some and those poor wretches were ne'er seen again on this Earth. I wish I had ne'er taken pleasure in the delights offered by the Sophixzee." She struggles to pronounce the last word.

Jack looks to the Doctor whose face has gone hard. His eyes are like flints.

"Do you know them?" he presses. "Who are they?"

"Slavers," the Doctor grinds the word out thickly. "They take people. They arrive and offer some the chance…well the vastly expensive chance, to 'sample' the delights of a hundred cultures, races, peoples. They like to steal the brightest, the strongest, the ones who have done most with their lives, because they get a perverse kick out of subjecting them to what they do." He looks like he might be sick.

"Slavers?" Tosh looks upset.

Owen is frowning deeply and Ianto is looking to Jack.

"They disappear. Crop up through space and time. Randomly. They must use this 'Highway' to travel but I have no idea what that is."

Martha lays a hand on his arm. "So they're here. Surely that's a space ship the size of London if they take hundreds of people?"

"It should be…" there is a frown line between his eyebrows, and she can practically see the cogs turning in his brain. He starts pacing. "Jack when did you pick up the signal?"

"Three days ago. The rift sensors detected it."

The Doctor continues to pace while everyone else watches him. "There should be a huge space ship right overhead…but there's not…and rift sensors…Hmmm." He suddenly stops, clicks his fingers sharply and looks straight at Jack. "I know what the Highway is."

* * *

Rose has a metal tray of drinks on one hand and there are shackles on her wrists and her ankles. Enough to stop her running. She is wearing black and pink lingerie, which consists of a corset type arrangement and a short skirt if it can possibly be called that, complete with stockings and high-heeled black patent leather shoes. It reminds her of burlesque dancers. These aliens have done their research. She feels exposed with all these alien eyes on her. She knows Mickey's eyes are tracking her from the cage on the far side of the room. She can understand all of the disgusting perverse comments the patrons make about her – they think she doesn't understand and lets them think it – and it makes her want to vomit. Rose offers the drinks to the assortment of aliens at the table, pretends they aren't leering at her cleavage and turns away. Two days she's been here and she hates it. Serving drinks on her shift, and sleeping in a barred cell with her hand in Mickey's through the bars when she isn't.

At least they're not making her dance…or worse…not yet anyway. They want her broken, so she won't fight when they have her.

She feels the tears continue to prickle the back of her eyelids hotly. That was why Mickey was in the cage, he'd fought back the moment they touched her. That is why he is sitting naked, in a hunched up ball, trying to cover his modesty from the poking 'hands' and leering eyes, with a black eye and whipped back, and watching her every move.

She wants her mother. She wants to cry in her arms and have a cup of tea and be told its all okay. She wants to curl up in front of a movie with Mickey where the ending is always happy. But it isn't. Rose Tyler is a slave, and she knows what is coming round the corner. She sees it in their eyes. It isn't the first time most of these patrons have been here. They smell fresh meat when they look at her, and they all want to be the first to try it. They want to take her to the back rooms she prays she will never see. She wonders if she is already broken. Like the other slaves – male and female and non-specified – who have empty eyes. The ones who succumbed quickest, service the most patrons are rewarded by suites of rooms, beautiful clothes, jewellery, they aren't beaten. Rose wonders if submitting would be easier. Safer. Her body would not be a mess of well-hidden bruises. The slavers know where to hit so it does not show through her costume. But Rose Tyler has had too many brilliant stubborn people in her life to let her just give in. She is Jackie Tyler's daughter if nothing else.

* * *

"What?" Jack stares at the Doctor as though he is mad. "You can't be suggesting what I think you're suggesting."

The Doctor lifts his head from his hands and stares back at his friend across the desk. "I don't think we have a choice."

Jack has sent the others home, to snatch a few hours sleep. Martha is asleep downstairs in Jack's cubbyhole. Although he knows Ianto will be here at seven a.m. sharp like every day. So he and the Doctor are the only ones left sitting in the light of a single lamp and thrashing out the Doctor's plan.

"But you said it would cause universes to implode. You told her that!"

The Doctor bites the inside of his cheek and his eyes look haunted. "I know what I told her Jack. That hasn't changed. But if I'm right, and the 'Highway' is the Void, then they could get to her universe. And I swear to Gallifrey I won't let that happen."

Jack reaches a hand across his desk and gives the Time Lord's wrist a squeeze. "I know."

Their eyes meet before the Doctor looks away. "Plus I won't have slavers making holes in my universe." He smiles suddenly, disarmingly, at Jack. "And if you can open the rift without sucking the whole world in then I'm fairly sure I can manage a quick little trip."

"You mean we," Jack corrects, "you're not going in there alone." He stands and works an audible crick out of his neck. "Pretty boy like you must be high up their list."

He grins back at Jack. "Just so long as I'm higher on that list than you."

* * *

Rose drops the metal tray with a clatter and smiles serenely at the insect-like guards that come running. She glances down at the man who moments earlier had made a particularly disgusting comment about her. She holds her hands out in surrender and thinks happily to herself that he will think twice about saying those words again. Hitting him with that tray was particularly satisfying. She lets the two insectoid aliens grab hold of her arms and haul her bodily from the hall. Rose knows that Mickey is staring at her wishing she hadn't done that.

Rose lets the fight go out of her only when she is thrown back into her cell. She reaches for the suit jacket she was wearing the day they brought her here and pulls it slowly around her bruised body. She rests her chin on her knees and feels one solitary tear slide its way down her nose. A shadow suddenly falls across her. Rose looks up at the woman standing the other side of the bars. She looks human but Rose senses she isn't. Then she blinks and Rose sees the silver flash of her eyes that tells her she is definitely not human. Rose looks a little closer and realises that what she thought was hair was really dark brown feathers.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Honey. Mickey was right about you."

"Mickey?" Rose leans forward in surprise. "What did he…?"

Honey smiles, her teeth very white against her dark skin in the gloom of the cell. "That was a very stupid thing you did," she says still smiling.

"Yeah well," Rose says shrugging.

Honey smiles. "There is a group of us. Mickey included. We refuse to be slaves for the rest of our lives. The Highway stretches for all of time. All of space. Everyone is at risk Rose and we refuse to let them do that. We want revolution. We want freedom."

Rose lets the slow smile spread over her face. "Then I'm in."

She crouches down and holds out a hand to Rose through the bars. "Rose Tyler, you're my kind of stupid."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"You have a pterodactyl."

Jack finds the Doctor leaning on the railing of an upper catwalk and watching the beast sweep and whirl in the roof space above him.

"Yeah, that's Myfanwy." Jack leans beside him. "She fell through the rift one day. So here she stays."

The Doctor nods.

"How are you doing?" Jack asks looking over at the Time Lord.

"You know me, always fine."

Jack raises an eyebrow. He is in no mood to sleep.

"You're still alone."

The Doctor pulls a face. "Yes."

"You still miss her." It isn't a question.

"The simple lack of her is more to me than others' presence," the Doctor quotes, his face shadowed. "Edward Thomas, smart man." He keeps his eyes on the swooping reptile above.

Jack pats his hand sympathetically and doesn't reply. What can he say? I miss her too. Because he does. So very much. He has for a century.

A few moments later the Doctor speaks. "Should ask you the same thing Captain. You okay after that year?"

He suppresses the shudder that runs through him but realises that the Doctor has felt it anyway. "Been better Doctor but you know that." Jack's thoughts flash back to those many months. He remembers screaming until his throat was raw, begging, crying and swearing blue murder. He thought he was going out of his mind. And he is fairly sure the Doctor knows that. But Captain Jack Harkness does not lie down and die, so he kept smiling and joking and wonders if he went partially insane in doing so. But because the Doctor was there it somehow all seemed worth it.

"Have they forgiven you yet?"

Jack shrugs. "It's been four months."

"That means no."

"It means I don't know Doctor." Jack shoots a sideways look at him. "They got sent to the Himalayas because of me."

"Always worth a visit," the Doctor says only half flippantly.

"What happened to them? In that year? Did they die Doctor?"

"I don't know. And they won't remember."

"But they remember the Himalayas! They remember hearing that we were Britain's most wanted terrorists!" he snaps back. "They've worked out who you are you know. They still might report you." The Doctor doesn't answer, and Jacks stares moodily down into the Hub. "Sometimes I think they still hate me."

"Martha remembers," the Doctor says so quietly that Jack isn't sure if he heard him or not. "Do you think she's forgiven me for putting her through all that?"

"She forgave you the first time she saw you again Doctor."

He pulls a face, uncertain. "I still made her do it." There is a weighted pause. "I destroyed half her life Jack." He looks at Jack and sees his own sadness reflected back at him.

Jack bites the inside of his cheek and looks at the Doctor for a long moment before, wanting to change the subject, he asks; "So you intend to instigate a slave revolution in three hours?"

"Well that's how long Tosh tells me your Rift-O-Scope will maintain a gap for us so yeah," he says suddenly brighter.

"Its not called that!" Jack says, wondering why he always feels like an idiot next to the Doctor.

"It will get messy Jack." The Doctor is staring at him now, face serious again. "On the Sophixzee ship. I have no idea what could happen. It'll be all dark and decadent and…you'll probably love the place." He smirks twistedly.

Jack half smiles back.

"They might put stuff in the air to drive up profits. We could end up…" the Doctor leaves the thought hanging. "I don't want your team there. I don't want Martha there. We don't know what it will drive us to do. I don't want to have to protect them from you or me. I trust you to watch my back Jack. And not in a dirty way!"

Jack pouts then nods. "You can tell them though."

* * *

Jack leans back on the edge of his desk and listens to the noise rise in the other room as the Doctor tells the team that he doesn't want them to come. He sighs and closes his eyes.

"Jack!" Martha shouts as she comes through the door.

He opens his eyes and looks up at her.

"Why drag me all the way down here if you don't want me to help?" she demands.

"Its not my…" Jack starts.

"Oi Harkness!" Owen appears behind Martha. "Me and Martha have reached a decision."

Jack frowns but remains silent. He is still not sure he trusts the friendship that has grown between these two.

Owen continues. "We're doctors. He said there were slaves. He'll need us."

Jack sighs again and gives a non-committal grunt just as Gwen marches past them. "Jack."

There is warning in her voice that he takes no heed of. Pushing himself up from the desk he says firmly, "No Gwen."

"I'm coming Jack. You need me!"

Jack rubs the bridge of his nose and heads into the main room of the Hub, the three of them following him all shouting their case. The Doctor is spinning happily on an office chair paying no attention to the furore he has created. Jack looks to the other two members of Torchwood. "Ianto? Tosh? Do you wanna come too?"

Tosh shakes her head, balancing her laptop on one arm. Ianto shakes his too.

"No I don't," he says looking slightly afraid.

"Good. You two can maintain the rift then."

The Doctor looks up. "You've gone soft Harkness."

Jack gives him a warning look. "Deal with it Doctor. So when do we go?"

"No time like the present."

"You have a plan I take it?"

"Not as such," he shrugs then grins. "Like old times huh?"

"Oh yes," Jack sighs, "and we all know how well they ended. I usually wind up dead!"

* * *

"Wow," Gwen breathes staring up at the vaulted organic ceiling above her head. "Its…"

"Bigger on the inside," Martha finishes before the Doctor can say it, and she is smiling as she walks in to the TARDIS behind the four members of Torchwood. She looks at the Doctor. "What exactly should I wear as a sex fiend?"

"Why did you look at me when you said that?" Jack asks the Doctor with a petulant pout from his position on the jump seat.

The Doctor laughs. "Wardrobe is still down the corridor, second left." He looks to Jack. "You too. I don't think World War two chic is quite the look here."

Jack bounces to his feet. "Don't 'spose you've got another pair of leather trousers kicking about?"

* * *

About an hour and much shrieking over the contents of the wardrobe later the five people heading off on the mission emerge, looking mostly unlike their usual selves. Jack has located a pair of black leather trousers and has paired these with a tight black t-shirt and heavy leather boots. Over this he has shrugged on a tight black leather bomber jacket. He leans on the wall outside and waits for the others. He is soon joined by the Doctor who leans beside him.

Jack looks him over with a critical eye. "Is that…?"

The Doctor fingers the edge of the black leather jacket nervously. "Yeah." There is a pause. "Does the rest of my outfit pass muster?"

"Do a twirl," Jack asks eying the slim fit white shirt and tight dark denim jeans, as the Doctor obliges. "Maybe a little pure but nice ass," he says grinning and slapping the Doctor's backside.

"Keep your hands to yourself Harkness," the Doctor says in retort. "And pure?" He raises an eyebrow and steps forward so his nose is millimetres from Jack's. The Doctor's hand is against the wall beside Jack's head. "Wanna bet?"

His eyes are boring in Jack's and Jack swallows nervously. For a split second Jack doesn't know whether to kiss him or run screaming for the hills. He settles on neither, merely letting his eyes widen under the intense brown-eyed gaze.

They are interrupted by the other three spilling out of the room. The Doctor straightens, grins at Jack and Jack realises how easily he has just been played. Maybe the Doctor would be alright after all.

"How do I look?" Martha does a twirl.

Jack whistles at her.

Martha's face is half hidden by a black netted veil attached to a small hat that is perched at a rakish angle on her head, and her knee length scarlet dress clings to her every curve.

"I think you're gonna be in trouble lil' Miss Martha," Jack drawls grinning and grabbing at her.

She skips out of reach. "Do I pass Doctor?" she pouts scarlet lips at him.

The Doctor nods. "I think you'll do."

She pokes out her tongue at him. Owen and Gwen are both wearing black. Gwen in a long slinky dress that is split to the thigh.

Jack shakes his head at her. "Your boyfriend already hates me Gwen why make it worse?"

"Sounds like a good man," the Doctor mutters innocently. Jack shoots him a look.

Owen is wearing a black suit, which could have been made for him, over a black shirt and tie. He gives Jack and the Doctor a smirk.

"Ladies?" he asks holding out his arms to them.

Martha giggles and grabs his arm, leaning into him still laughing. Gwen gives Jack another look, then takes Owen's other arm and they head off down the corridor back towards the control room.

"Now that's impure!" Jack says, his eyes on their backsides.

The Doctor frowns after them. "They look like children. Children dressed up for the slaughter."

"Give them more credit Doctor," Jack says gently.

"Why? They opened the Rift! They got you killed!"

"They're not the only ones remember," Jack reminds him. "They'll be fine."

The Doctor purses his lips. "Really? You and me know the score Jack. They'll get eaten alive."

Jack just gives him a tight smile. "Lets go check Ianto and Tosh haven't taken too much of the TARDIS apart shall we?"

* * *

Rose lets the shower wash over her and wonders what is going to happen. Mickey is standing guard just outside the door for her because they don't trust the guards or many of the other slaves for that matter. She is squeezing water out of her hair with her hands when she hears the voice.

"Rose?"

It is not Mickey, but definitely male with a hint of a growl about it. She stiffens and wonders what happened to Mickey.

"Who are you? How do you know who I am?" she demands.

"Mickey let me in." His tone takes on the tiniest hint of amusement. "Don't worry I'm not looking."

She peeks over her shoulder and through the steamed up shower door, sees the outline of a man with his back to her. Broad shouldered with dark hair to the collar of his black pinstriped suit jacket.

"Hand me a towel then," she says about to reach for the off switch.

"Leave it on," he says suddenly. "It'll mean we can talk in private."

He hands her the towel over his shoulder as she steps out. She takes it and wraps it firmly about her body. "You can turn round now."

He turns and smiles at her, sniffing the air as he does so. Rose frowns at him suspiciously. He is taller than her. Good looking. The hint of taut muscles under the suit. He scratches his hair above his right ear with one hand in a dog-like manner.

"Right…" Rose backs up two paces nervously. "Who are you?"

"Name is Wolf."

Her eyes widen and he notices straight away. "Don't worry I'm not the big bad wolf. Huff puff, I'm here to help you."

"Really?" she tightens the towel around her body. "Why?"

He suddenly looks so mournful that she knows she has hit a raw nerve. "We all have people we need to get back to Rose."

She nods, the lump in her throat preventing an answer right now.

"Now I know this isn't the Tenth Kingdom anymore. This is some…other place. I've heard all the rumours about you Rose Tyler. Protector. Heroine." He sniffs her again. "You have a touch of the wolf about you yourself my little lamb."

Rose suppresses the shudder that runs through her.

"I heard what they're making you do tonight."

"You did?" she glances towards the barely there dress they are making her wear so she can be sold off to the first punter that comes along.

He smiles sadly at her. "We always know. Don't you wonder Rose? Why you never see the broken ones?"

"The broken ones?" she says starting to shiver.

Wolf turns around to let her dress without having to be asked and continues speaking. "The ones that this life destroys. They aren't any good to _them_ anymore. Don't break Rose. Take your mind someplace else. Or fight like hell." He turns round just as she pulls the last strap of her dress up. "Or my lamb chop they will eat you alive."

"Have you..? I mean…did they?"

He shakes his head. "Wouldn't dare. I'm dangerous." He grins wolfishly at her and for just a second Rose would swear she saw fangs and that his eyes glowed just a little bit orange. "We expect a lot Rose Tyler. We've been waiting for a moment and you may just be it."

"What do you want me to do?" She asks nervously trying to pull the split in the shiny black dress closed a bit over her leg.

He smiles at her. "Cause trouble. Mickey will give you the signal. That's all you need to know bunny."

Mickey pokes his head through the door at that moment. "Wolf they're coming."

Rose reaches up and turns off the shower.

Wolf leans forward and kisses her lightly on the cheek, barely more than a brush of his lips on her skin. "Be careful Rose and remember what I said."

He slips out of the open door before she can reply.

Mickey stares at her, face tight with worry. He comes to her and grabs both her hands in his. "Rose…"

"Don't Mickey," she says firmly.

"I'll try and get the signal to you before they…"

She shakes her head and he catches her in a tight hug. "I love you Rose," he mumbles against her ear. "No matter what." He pulls away hearing noises outside the room. "I've got to go."

"I love you too Mickey," she says before finally letting go of his hand.

He gives her one last pained look before he leaves.

* * *

Tosh's head is underneath the central console when Jack and the Doctor enter the control room. "This is incredible!" she can be heard mumbling. "Its like coral. I would love to run some tests on this."

"Fat chance," the Doctor snorts, causing her to withdraw her head sharply. Her cheeks go pink underneath her glasses then he grins at her. "And you pretty lady have to monitor the Rift-O-Scope for me."

She looks puzzled for a moment and then twigs what he is talking about and looks to Jack. "Are you sure about this?"

He nods sharply. "I am." He grins at Ianto. "Don't look so worried. I've got a professional doing the rift opening this time!" He gives the Welshman a hug.

Ianto hugs him back, and smiles tightly. "Sure Sir." He pulls two earpieces from his jacket pocket. "Here's your earpiece Martha, and Doctor one for you."

The Doctor raises an eyebrow at Martha. "You've been here before."

She tucks the earpiece into her cleavage. "I may have helped out once or twice."

He looks at Jack who shrugs, grinning. "I'm sorry," he says but his voice is nothing of the sort.

Jack looks at Owen. "You'd better have plenty of Retcon on your person."

Owen nods. "Already thought of that."

The Doctor shoots them both a look, then one at Martha who looks at the floor. She knows what she and Owen discussed.

Jack claps his hands. "Ianto, Tosh you call us if _anything_ looks untoward."

"Well lets get started then children!" the Doctor says ushering Toshiko and Ianto out of the door. "Hold onto something boys and girls."

"Why?" Gwen asks just as the Doctor slaps a button and the TARDIS rumbles into life. She hurriedly grabs hold of one of the beams to save herself in her heels. Owen too is clinging on.

"What the?" he exclaims, his hands wrapped firmly around a column.

Martha and Jack keep their balance while the Doctor bounces around the central console. He grins at Jack. "I'm looking to you for the big entrance Captain."

"My specialty," he grins back as the TARDIS bumps to a halt.

He bounds out of the door and they find themselves in a large antechamber. There is a large set of double doors guarded by two insect-like aliens.

"Are they?" Martha starts.

The Doctor nods. "Remember you rule this place. Behave like Jack usually does."

Jack snorts but says nothing.

The Doctor flashes the two guards the biggest grin he can manage without splitting his face in two and waves the psychic paper at them.

They gesture the group past the velvet ropes and Jack gives both doors a massive shove. The interior of the club is dark and smoky, reeking of a thousand different perfumes from a thousand different worlds. It is intoxicating and makes their heads spin just a little. Jack pauses beside the Doctor just inside the door, waiting long enough for them to get noticed to his desired level. They are standing at the top of a short staircase and the club dips away into a smoky haze below them. To the right is a selection of stages where various aliens are dancing. To the left tables are spread with a variety of aliens sat at them. Hanging from the ceiling and on the walls are metal cages with naked or semi-naked slaves in them. Along the furthest wall in a long bar. Jack swallows and grabs the Doctor's hand in one of his and Martha's in the other.

"Well isn't this a sight," he drawls overacting his American accent to full effect and dragging them into the crowd. Owen and Gwen following half-nervously. "All this pretty! Well a man could have a hard time deciding on what he wants to taste first." He leers at a waitress carrying a tray. She offers them all glasses of what looks like red wine that they take and she moves on.

Gwen has just raised the glass to her lips.

"Don't," the Doctor says in a low voice, tucking the sonic screwdriver back into a pocket. "It'll be voodoo Ribena, laced with Gallifrey knows what drugs to send your libido sky high. They want to make sure you spend the most money you can."

Owen spits his back out into the glass and looks horrified.

"We split up and get a good look at the place. If you see anything interesting call me," the Doctor grins wolfishly at Martha and grabs her hand. "Come on darlin' lets see what naughtiness we can get up to." He appears to have copied his accent from Jack's.

Gwen and Owen look at each other. "We'll…err…stick together," Gwen says looping her arm through Owen's. They set off towards the dance stages.

Jack looks at the Doctor and Martha. "Guess we have a threesome then?"

The Doctor smirks at him in a manner that is most un-Doctor-like. "Don't tempt me." He slaps Martha on the backside with his free hand. "Get moving babe."

* * *

Honey squeezes past Mickey behind the bar and gives him the tiniest wink. He smiles tightly back and glances again at the bottles of alcohol lined up. He slides his gaze to where Wolf is prowling at the far end of the bar.

"Excuse me?" a voice cuts in suddenly.

Mickey looks round at the human girl in the red dress.

"Hi…wait you're English."

She nods, gives him a sly smile. "So are you."

"What can I get you?" he asks suddenly professional as a slaver passes.

"Anything vaguely normal? White wine?"

"That I can do." He pours her a glass. "Or at least it's vaguely like it." He shrugs. "You alone?"

She shakes her head and smiles coyly through the veil. "Just got a little sick of my companions suddenly chauvinistic tendencies." She waves a hand back over her shoulder but Mickey cannot see whom at through the crowds.

"This place does that have that effect on people," he says as she sips her drink.

He leans forward and mutters towards her ear, having no idea why he feels he can trust this stranger. "I don't think you're here for pleasure. I think this is a job."

She jerks back and stares at him wide eyed.

"I knew it," Mickey says smiling. "Mickey Smith."

"Doctor Martha Jones," she replies getting over her shock. "How did you know?"

"I've spent a long time fighting so I make it my business to know. Hang on." He moves to fetch a drink for another customer then returns to her. He lets his eyes sweep over her. "Well since you're human and you're here and you don't seem like a pervert so I'll say you're one of two things."

"Really?"

He smiles grimly. "Time agent or Torchwood."

Martha starts. "Tor…" How on earth does someone who is a slave know about Torchwood? "I…err…I'm…not…" She takes a deep swig of her drink. "I have to…go…" She whirls without letting him speak and hunts the crowd for the Doctor and Jack.

* * *

Jack returns from the bar and leans on the rail beside the Doctor where he is watching the dancers with a frown between his eyebrows, the wine glass hanging in his fingers. He hands him one of the glasses he is carrying.

The Doctor frowns a little deeper at it.

"Hypervodka," Jack answers his unspoken question and downs his own drink. He hisses through his teeth. "That was good."

The Doctor stares at the drink for a second longer then downs it too. He gasps softly before he sets the glass down and realises Jack is staring at him with intent in his eyes.

"You know Doctor," Jack drawls softly, sidling a bit closer. "You always said if I bought you a drink…" he raises his eyebrows suggestively.

"Jack…" there is warning in the Doctor's voice.

Jack grabs the lapels of the Doctor's jacket. "You didn't think you could wear this jacket and I wouldn't notice?" he stares into the other man's eyes stepping so close that there is now no room between them, his fingers caressing the black leather.

"Jack don't…" the Doctor says gently seeing the hurt longing in Jack's eyes for the man long gone.

Jack pulls the Doctor into a kiss by his jacket lapels silencing him a moment. The Doctor's eyes go wide and for a minute he considers kissing him back to really shut him up. But he yanks his head away. "I said don't Jack!"

Jack blinks, shakes his head slightly as though to clear it and stares at him. "Oh…oh…I…I'm…sorry?" he finally finishes lamely. He lets his hands drop from the leather. He fidgets on the spot. "Must be the…air…Doctor…"

The Doctor pats his shoulder only a little awkwardly then grins. "Not here anyway Jack."

Jack chuckles. Then realises the Doctor is staring off at something, his mouth half open.

"Doctor?" Jack tries to see what the Time Lord is staring at but cannot tell through the smoggy darkness and throngs of people. "Doctor? What do we do?"

"I don't know about you," the Doctor says distantly handing the wineglass to Jack, "but I'm going to buy myself a girl."

He walks resolutely towards the stages. Jack blinks at his back mouth hanging open. "What?!" he finally splutters out but the Doctor is gone. He looks down at the glass in his hand and wonders if the Doctor ignored his own advice on the voodoo Ribena.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Owen allows his arm to snake around Gwen's waist. He feels her tremble against him.

"Its horrible," she says softly.

He nods. "I think I saw a Weevil. I mean who wants to do it with a Weevil?"

She gives him a filthy look.

"I know it's horrible. But if we let it get to us we won't get the job done will we?" he says giving her side a squeeze.

She leans against him gratefully. "You do have a point. I wonder what Jack is doing?"

Owen snorts. "Jack is probably buying himself a slave girl. Ruled by his…"

She digs an elbow in his ribs. "Jack wouldn't."

"Oh he would. And you know it." Owen steers her past a feline looking alien, before stopping her beside a wall where they can survey the scene. "Honestly I have no idea what we're doing."

Gwen raises her eyebrows at him. "Should we call the others?"

Owen shakes his head, leans in and kisses her.

* * *

"Do you trust him?"

Tosh looks up from her laptop. "What?"

"The Doctor." Ianto is unable to hide the faint trace of jealousy in his voice. "Do you trust him?"

Toshiko thinks for a moment. "Yes I guess I do."

"Why?"

"Because Jack does."

His cheek twitches. "We should report him you know."

"Will you?"

Ianto's eyes slip away from hers and he does not answer.

"Will you?" she demands again, voice sharper.

"No," he mutters sighing. "They would never forgive me."

"Jack would kill you."

"Yeah," Ianto sighs, knowing the full truth of the words.

Tosh returns her gaze to her laptop for a few more minutes. "Hang on…"

"What?" Ianto looks up sharply at her tone.

"I think we have a problem."

* * *

She never expected her knees to be knocking together like they are. Long forgotten words of advice from Captain Jack Harkness come flitting into her mind. Everything has eyes, he'd said, eyes and reproductive organs – although he hadn't used those words – and you hit them there. She keeps her back to the door and her eyes on her dress that is thrown over a chair. She fully intends to hurt them. Hurt them so badly that they know not to mess with Rose Tyler again. She is ready. But not ready for that. How on earth could she be?

"R…R…Rose?"

She takes a deep breath, she's imagining it. It isn't real. Then his hands hesitantly touch her shoulders. Gentle, familiar. She turns and stares into his eyes. She cannot make her mouth form words.

His fingertips tremble against her bare shoulders. "Rose? How? You?" He stares at her wide-eyed in shock. "Oh Rose!" He scoops her up into his arms, off the floor in a crushing hug, his face buried somewhere in her hair.

She feels tears spilling down her cheeks. The Doctor is here. Everything will be alright. He sets her lightly down on the floor.

"What are you doing here?" they say simultaneously.

"Jack picked up a signal," the Doctor says his hands against her arms.

"Jack?" Rose stares at him. "But he's…dead? Isn't he?"

"Long story. He's outside somewhere." His hands brush up and down her arms lightly. "Please tell me you didn't…haven't…" He can't bring himself to ask and his eyes stray to the bed.

She shakes her head. "No. You're the first."

He throws her a grin, then realises that his hands are resting on her shoulders, only a few centimetres above her bra. He pulls his hands back blushing. "Umm…I…" he scratches his head awkwardly. But she notices a strange almost lustful look come into his eyes as they flit back to the bed.

"Doctor?" she asks hesitantly.

He shakes his head as though to clear it. "Put your dress on."

"Okay," she says reaching for it. "It won't help though, its not exactly covering."

The Doctor is looking at the door. "I can't take you back out there yet. I've paid for you for a while longer yet." His eyes trail back to the bed. "I'm supposed to be…ravishing…you…making…love…"

Rose frowns at him. "Doctor? What's wrong with you?"

He drags his eyes back to her, but only as far as her cleavage. "They put stuff in the air to drive up the libido…Oh it won't work on slaves, stress levels are too high. I thought it wasn't working on me when Jack…"

"When Jack what?"

The jealous note which has crept into her voice makes him haul his gaze to her face. "He sort of kissed me." He pushes her hair off her face tenderly. "Oh Rose I missed you. Come here." He draws her into another hug.

She leans her face against him and inhales his scent. "You wore his jacket."

He just nods, a lump in his throat as he looks down at the top of her head. Rose's eyes are closed and she has her nose pressed into the leather smelling the man she lost a long time ago.

"That had better be the sonic screwdriver in your pocket," she says a minute later looking up at him.

The red flush that creeps up his face as he steps away is enough to tell her it isn't.

"I'm sorry," he mutters embarrassed.

She smiles at him, then her face falls. "Oh no!"

"What?"

"Mickey and Wolf will be so worried about me!"

"Mickey? Mickey the idiot? Oh yes trust him to get you into this mess!" There is a weighted pause. "Who's Wolf?"

"He's not the big bad wolf. And he's not an idiot! We're going to start a revolution…well they are."

"Just what I'm here to do." There is a harder edge to his voice now. He reaches inside his jacket pocket and pulls out his earpiece. He hooks it into his ear. "Jack?" There is a pause while Jack is replying. "Yeah, room 214...Quickly Jack!"

He pulls the earpiece off and tucks it back into his pocket, grinning at her.

"Any reason you've just enticed Jack to run in here and pull a gun on us?"

"What's life without a little drama?" he shrugs.

The door bangs open that moment where Jack has kicked it. "Doctor? What's wrong?" His words die on his lips and his eyes go wide. His face drains of blood. "Rosie?"

"Hey Jack."

"You can't be," he is staring at her. "This is a trick."

She shakes her head. "Nope."

Jack crosses the room in a few long strides, grabs hold of her and kisses her deeply. He keeps his lips pressed tightly to hers for a long time. Finally he pulls back, stares at her in childlike wonderment, stroking her hair with one hand. "Rose…Rose. I don't believe it. What are you doing here?"

Rose's lip is trembling and the tears are threatening to spill again as she looks up at him. "I missed you Jack."

He pulls her into a crushing hug. "I missed you too Rose." He rubs his hand up and down her back. He has already taken in her attire. "Please tell me you haven't had to…" He swallows.

She shakes her head against his chest, her arms wrapped tight around his back. "No."

"Good." Jack breathes a sigh of relief. He looks to the Doctor. "Now what?"

"You call Martha. And Owen and Gwen. And we start our revolution."

Jack gently releases Rose who is looking confused.

"Who is Martha? And Owen and Gwen? Travelling with a crowd now Doctor?"

He can see the hurt look in her eyes.

"Owen and Gwen are members of my team," Jack says pulling out his earpiece.

"Team?"

Jack has the grace to look a little shamed. "I work for Torchwood."

Rose gives him a small smile. "So do I. They call me Scully."

"They just call me sir," Jack's grin gets wider as he hooks his earpiece in. "Calling my pretty ladies," he drawls happiness evident in his voice.

* * *

A minute later, Martha appears through the door, shutting it behind her. "Jack?" She eyes Rose warily. "We're buying slave girls now?" she asks confused.

Jack feels Rose bristle from her place between himself and the Doctor. "Slave girl?"

The Doctor smiles. "Martha, this is Rose Tyler."

Martha gapes at him. "Rose? Did you say Rose Tyler? The Rose Tyler? Your Rose?"

Rose smiles as the Doctor's face flushes pinkly. "So I'm your Rose huh?"

The Doctor ignores that. "Rose Tyler meet Martha Jones."

"Hi," Rose says with a smile. "So you're the one keeping him out of trouble?"

Martha smiles. "Something like that."

Jack chuckles and grabs hold of Rose's hand and squeezes. "So now what? We just waltzing Rose back to the TARDIS and home with us?" He pulls her round and dances her a few steps up the room.

"It doesn't work that simply Jack." The Doctor's voice is quiet, too controlled, like he is holding back.

Jack stops dancing, and Rose stares between them.

"What do you mean?" she asks fearfully.

"I can't take you with me Rose." He is staring at her, their eye contact so intense that Jack and Martha feel excluded from the moment. "I want to but I can't."

"But Doctor…" Her eyes well up again.

"Rose please don't. I can't." He walks over and grabs her shoulders firmly. "It will destroy everything. I have to send you back."

"What?" Jack explodes suddenly intruding. "Doctor you can't!"

The Doctor whips his head round to look at the other man. "I have to Jack! We take her and Mickey and the breach collapses. Then we destroy both her universe and ours and any other that this ship has touched. Do you know how many lives that is Jack? How many worlds? Because I don't. I won't be the cause of that."

Rose is biting her lip, but she looks up clear-eyed. "Its okay."

"No it isn't!" Jack shouts making Martha jump. She doesn't think she has ever seen Jack so close to losing control. "How is this okay? And Mickey?"

"Mickey? Mickey Smith?" Martha asks suddenly.

"He does work fast doesn't he?" the Doctor says, almost grimly.

"I met him, he thought I was either a Time Agent or Torchwood."

"Mickey's here with me," Rose explains to Jack tearing her eyes from the Doctor. "He's a good agent. He's helping plan a revolution right now."

Jack sees the look in her eyes and slips an arm around her shoulder. He gives her a squeeze. "Me too Rosie."

At that moment the room is shaken by what sounds like an explosion.

* * *

"Jack?" Ianto says hurriedly into the comm. He swears in Welsh. "He's not picking up."

Tosh hooks her earpiece into place. "Doctor?" There is nothing but a slight hiss of static. She looks at Ianto uncertainly. "What do we do?"

Ianto chews his lower lip thoughtfully. "We reroute the power through a secondary circuit. See if we can buy them some time."

"Will that work?" she asks moving as she speaks. She unplugs her laptop from the machine.

"No idea. But we have to try. For Jack. We have to get him home safely."

The desperation in his voice makes her realise something. "You love him."

Ianto looks up sharply.

"You do. You always did. Even when he left. Even now, when he won't talk to us." She stares at him with a look of realisation on her face.

"That doesn't matter now," he says softly. "If we don't hurry, they'll all be dead."

* * *

"Huff puff, its time," Wolf mutters to Mickey beneath his breath.

Mickey nods grimly, and reaches for the lighter someone has stashed beneath the bar. Molotov cocktails, here we come. I'm sorry Rose, he thinks. He was too late in noticing she was gone from her stage. Some bastard bought her. He was going to find them and beat them to death. He stuffs the bar cloth into the neck of the nearest bottle of spirits and gives the bottle a shake to wet the cloth before lighting it. He lobs it over the bar and waits for the screaming to start.

Behind him he hears Wolf howl, and the sound makes him shudder. Somehow he didn't think 'Wolf' was just a name. He grabs a couple more bottles and lends them to the growing inferno that so far has engulfed two tables, before vaulting over the bar. Working for Torchwood meant keeping fit, thank goodness.

"Rose!" he shouts over his shoulder at Wolf who just nods.

He starts sprinting through the suddenly mad mass of people, slaves, patrons and slavers alike who are panicked and moving. He heads towards the stages, a broken bottle in his hand like a weapon. "Rose?" he yells, shoving a human man out of his way. A patron cowering under a table. Mickey gives him a dirty look and continues towards the rooms beyond the stages. He hates to think what has happened in them.

He hears a growling behind him and whirls to see Wolf beating down an insectoid slaver who had raised his whip towards him. Wolf snarls, showing his teeth, and bounds in big strides to Mickey's side. He sniffs the air.

"In there!" He points at a door.

"How do you know?"

"Can smell her," Wolf replies. "Quickly, there are others in there too."

Mickey brandishes the bottle a bit higher and gives the door a sharp kick. It is not locked and flies inwards causing Mickey to stumble inside. Wolf manages a rather more dignified leap, and lands with a flourish, glaring at the four people inside.

"Mickey! Wolf! What are you doing?" Rose demands.

"Rescuing you?" Wolf says looking at her in confusion.

Mickey is staring open mouthed at the other people in the room. Rose runs to him and hugs him tightly. Mickey continues to stare over her shoulder.

"Wh…what?" he finally blurts out.

"I know," she grins at him, holding him at arms length, her hands on his shoulders. "They're here to start a revolution."

Mickey blinks at her. "Really? I'm not just hallucinating this?"

She shakes her head. "No."

"But the Doctor…he told you…"

She interrupts. "I know what he said." She looks over her shoulder at the Doctor as she speaks. "But we're not in either dimension here so we can co-exist."

Mickey frowns. "What do you mean?"

Rose keeps her eyes on the Doctor who is staring at her so intently that everything else is excluded. "I mean that we have our revolution then we leave. He leaves. We go back to normal."

"Rose…" Mickey starts.

"Don't Mickey," she says still not looking at him. "We've discussed this."

A muscle is twitching in the Doctor's cheek and his eyes are chips of ice. "We've got to end this."

* * *

Jack pulls Owen off Gwen just as his hand is moving up her skirt.

"Not the time Owen!" he says sharply to him.

Owen blinks at him dozily. Gwen however presses herself against him and purrs, "Jack did I ever tell you…"

Jack pushes a hand over her mouth. "You'll regret saying that in the morning." He looks at Owen. "Are you gonna behave?"

Owen raises an eyebrow sceptically. "Well I'm sure as hell not going to try and kiss you!"

Jack slaps him on the shoulder, grinning. "Good to hear. Now shift yourselves. Since you were so busy 'dancing' you haven't noticed that we have a revolution?"

Gwen looks blankly around. "So we do."

Jack frowns at her. "Rhys is gonna kill me." He grabs hold of her arm. "Come on."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

How it ended Jack never did find out. Just found Mickey lying on the ground, with Rose's hands red with his blood while she stops him bleeding to death. Martha is on her knees helping him, her dress already stained dark across her lap. Behind them is the body of a woman, her featherlike hair dark with drying blood. Wolf stands against the wall, the muscles in his arms bunched up and he looks tense.

Owen is down on his knees beside her in an instant. "What do you need?"

The Doctor is standing over one of the slavers, his fists clenched and his eyes black. Jack suppresses the shiver that races up and down his spine. He has seen the Doctor angry, but never like this. He looks infinitely older than Jack could believe. Infinitely more powerful and more vengeful than one man should be. Jack takes a step backwards as the Doctor leans down towards the slaver.

"I gave you your chance. You're a fool."

His voice is so unlike the Doctor's that Jack sees even Rose shudder. But she doesn't look up. No one is looking at him. They are all suddenly so busy and interested in anything else. Only Jack is watching when he breaks the alien's neck. The Doctor stares down at the body for a long moment, then looks up and meets Jack's eyes. Jack feels his blood run cold and he wants to turn on his heels and run away. But he does nothing, merely rocks on his heels and keeps his gaze on the Doctor. The Doctor blinks and his eyes suddenly look lighter, the ones Jack knows better.

Mickey groans loudly and both their attentions fly to him.

"Rose?" the Doctor asks.

She shakes her head. "I have to take him back. He won't…make…it if I don't." She glances round at the body behind her. "Honey is dead isn't she?"

The Doctor nods.

Rose presses her lips tightly together. "She saved me."

The Doctor looks at her sympathetically, then looks at Jack. "Round them up. Do what you need to do."

Jack nods back. "Owen?"

Owen gets awkwardly to his feet and fishes in his pocket for the Retcon pills. "Wolf?" he asks hesitantly.

Wolf shakes his head. "No thank you. Just get me home to Virginia. She'll be waiting."

Jack nods. "We will."

Wolf crouches beside Rose and gives her a one armed hug. "Thank you Rose Tyler my succulent lamb chop. Be happy." He stands up and walks over to Jack and Owen. The three of them head out of the door into the main hall.

The Doctor crouches beside Rose and puts a hand on her arm. "I think you should…"

"No way." She whips her head round and glares at him. "Absolutely not Doctor. I work for Torchwood as well remember, I know what that stuff is."

He holds up his hands, knowing when he is beaten. "Okay Rose."

At that moment Gwen's comm. squeaks loudly. She hooks it into her ear. "Yes?"

"Thank f…" Ianto's curse is cut off by a crackle of static. "Why aren't any of you listening to your comms? Where's Jack?"

"Busy right now. Retcon-ing. Zapping people home."

"Great. Well hurry up. The opening in the rift is collapsing! You need to get those people out of there now!"

Gwen's face has gone white. The Doctor looks at her sharply. "What is it?"

"The rift. The opening isn't stable. Ianto says…"

The Doctor has his own earpiece on in an instant. "Ianto how long?"

Tosh mutters something in the background. "If I boost the power I can give you twenty minutes. No longer," Ianto says his tone worried. "Is Jack…?"

"Jack is fine," but the Doctor's attention is now on Rose. He has to lose her again. Twenty minutes is that all? "We'll be quick."

"You have to go don't you?" Rose's voice is small.

The Doctor stares at her for one anguished moment, rips his earpiece from his ear and stomps out of the room. "JACK!" he bellows.

* * *

Mickey bites off the strangled scream as they lay him down in the small cell where the transmat beam is situated. The Doctor looks at Jack. "They're all out?"

"Every one," Jack says nodding firmly. "I swept every room myself."

"Good."

His attention goes to Rose, who is standing beside Mickey in front of the transmat beam, and their locked gaze is so intense that Jack feels like an intruder on the moment. Behind him Gwen, Owen and Martha stand silent witness to the action.

"Rose…" the Doctor starts, stepping towards her.

She steps towards him and their lips meet in a sharp desperate kiss. "There's not enough time," she mutters against his lips. He nods his forehead against hers, feeling the tears welling hotly in his eyes, but not quite falling down his cheeks.

"I love you," she says her voice cracking, and tears running wetly down her face.

"I love you too," he says quietly.

Jack watches helpless as this plays out in front of him. Rose blinks back her tears and takes a step away from him. "Time to go."

The Doctor stares at her. "No…Rose…I can't lose you."

She smiles. "You never will."

"Stay."

"It will tear universes apart. And then where would we be?"

"So?"

She laughs.

He smiles back weakly. "Spoken like a true Time Lady."

Jack wants to cry. Rose is trying so hard to be brave, not crack , and not make this harder than it already is. Jack wants to run to her, kiss her, tell her not to leave him again but he can't. This isn't his moment it's theirs. It was always going to be theirs. The air positively crackles between their gazes. Rose finally breaks the look and walks to Mickey's side. Mickey smiles painfully up at her.

"Guess this is goodbye Doctor," Rose swallows.

Jack sees something crack in the Doctor's composure. He takes two long strides to Rose, grabs the back of her neck and kisses her fiercely. Jack realises then that he is crying and feels his own eyes burning. He has seen the Doctor cry before, when cradling the Master's body and begging him to regenerate, but it wasn't like this.

"I'm not losing you again Rose!"

"Doctor please…" She says, voice desperate. "We can't…you know we can't."

"No Rose." He grips her arms firmly. "I'm not letting you leave me."

"I can't Doctor." Her voice is pure anguish. "Mickey will die. The rift will collapse. Millions will die. I love you but I can't do that for you." She strokes the side of his face tenderly. "Goodbye Doctor," she says with finality.

His hands tighten on her arms. "No Rose…"

"Jack please…" Her voice breaks his heart as she looks at him in distress. "I can't…I can't do it…"

Jack walks forward and hauls the Doctor away from Rose. The Doctor struggles against him and Rose covers her eyes with her hand. "Please Jack make him stop…I can't…"

Jack feels the tears come to his eyes and spill over, as he holds the Doctor as tightly as he can, his arms wrapped around the other man's arms and torso. "Bye Rosie."

She smiles through her tears. "Bye Jack."

The Doctor struggles more. "Rose…"

Rose looks away. "Press it."

Gwen is the only one who moves. The sound of the Transmat beam powering up fills the small room. Jack sees Rose steel herself.

At the very last moment the Doctor makes one last bid to free himself from Jack who struggles to hold onto the flailing man. "Rose!" he shouts. She looks round at him, eyes red rimmed. "I'm coming for you!"

There is a flash then nothing at all.

* * *

"Jack!" Ianto cries as the TARDIS door opens. Jack smiles feebly and gives Ianto a slap on the shoulder. Tosh hugs him and he responds briefly then reaches back to help Martha support the Doctor and lead him out of the TARDIS. Owen and Gwen follow them.

Tosh stares at the Doctor in alarm. "Can we…?"

Jack shakes his head and relieves Martha of the burden of the Doctor. He stumbles towards his office.

"Jack…" Martha starts.

Owen touches her arm gently. "Don't," he says shaking his head. "Better for all of us if we just go home."

She throws a look over her shoulder at the door of Jack's office and sighs. "I guess so."

Owen slides his arm around her shoulders. "Come on Doctor Jones I'm sure _we_ can find some way of improving our night."

Martha grins at him. "Dressed like this?"

He smirks. "Don't have to stay dressed…"

Tosh turns away and Ianto gives her arm a silent squeeze.

* * *

Jack has carefully helped the Doctor down the ladder into his cubbyhole and now the Doctor is sat in a pathetic huddle on the bed, staring unseeingly at the wall. Jack crouches kneels beside him and draws a blanket around his shoulders. "Doctor?"

The concern in his eyes proves to be his undoing and a sob escapes his lips. "I…I'm…I'm so sorry Jack." He hiccups, trying to get the tears under control and force a smile onto his face.

"Don't be Doctor," Jack bites his lip for a second. "It was Rose…I understand."

The tears come again but silent, desperate ones racing down his cheeks. He nods. "It was Rose." He slumps against Jack, so utterly defeated that he has no strength left.

Jack, awkwardly in the small space, helps the Doctor to lay down on the bed before lying beside him.

The Doctor knots his hands into the front of Jack's t-shirt. "I lost her…how could I lose her again? Jack…how could I?"

"Ssshh ssshh," Jack murmurs soothingly and presses a kiss to the Doctor's forehead. "Sleep…Doctor please sleep."

* * *

Ianto looks in on them about an hour later, having seen the others home. He finds Jack and the Doctor fats asleep in a tangle of blankets. The Doctor's eyes are red rimmed and puffy even in sleep and Jack looks little better. But he has placed himself protectively at the Doctor's side, his hand resting in the Doctor's. Ianto smiles sadly to himself and closes the office door quietly when he leaves.

* * *

Jack stares out at the skyline of Cardiff as the sun dips orange below the horizon the next evening. He hums the X-Files theme tune softly to himself. Scully, he thinks and smiles to himself. The light breeze ruffles his hair and he shoves his hands into his trouser pockets. He rocks on his heels as he hears soft sneakered feet coming towards him across the rooftop. Jack keeps his eyes on the sky.

"Hey," is all he says.

"Hey," the Doctor replies softly, eyes forward on the sunset.

The breeze flaps their coats around their legs.

"Put Martha on her train okay?"

"Yeah." The Doctor looks over at Jack who looks back at him. "She's alright."

"Are you leaving?" Jack keeps his voice even.

"pretty much now." The Doctor shuffles his feet. "You could…come? If you want?"

Jack smiles sadly at him. "You already know my answer Doctor."

"Oh," he pouts. "Why not? Just one trip?"

"I can't. I'm needed here."

"Guess so." The Doctor smiles at him, but Jack can see a flash of sadness in his eyes. "Do you think she's happy?"

Jack shrugs. "I think she was…now…" he leaves the rest unsaid.

The Doctor nods biting his lip. "Until I destroyed half her life."

Jack's eyes widen in shock. "That's not what I meant!"

"Isn't it? I did it to Martha…"

"The Master did it to Martha not you," Jack interrupts him.

"Then I guess we're more similar than I thought." The Doctor turns to walk away. "I'll see you Jack."

Jack grabs his arm. "You could never do that…"

The Doctor all but growls at him. "Get away from me Jack Harkness you have no idea what I can do."

Jack releases his arm. "Don't do what I think you're going to do Doctor. Rose wouldn't want you to."

He turns dark eyes to him. "There's a storm coming Jack, and I'm going to start it."


End file.
